Had a go at picking up....

[Mike A]

And thats with just one dog mate. Try managing a team of three or four. Most commercial shoots wont have you picking up with less than three. I have picked up with a man who has a team of ten cockers and all sit and wait their turn to be told to go.

But remember when I gave you your first opportunity to pick up 3 or 4 years ago it wasnt all plain sailing for you . It's about learning how it works for you and your dog/dogs

[Dan Newcombe]

The counterpoint to that is that most of the people with a rake of dogs will in fact go looking for things in the same way (usually actually they will be better because generally they will be more experienced) and they will generally be more likely to find something because of essentially the law of averages.

I’ve seen absolute rubbish pickers up with one or two dog bit a lot fewer that have 4 or 5.

My take away from IPS’s post is that, as per another thread there is a requirement for people to build up to picking up with something like an apprenticeship because it isn’t as easy as it looks. Having a nicely trained dog isn’t actually what you need.

[Judy]

I disagree, slightly, out on the moors I wouldn't dream of trying to pick up with less than a team of dogs, in the south-east where a lot of drives are bordered by country lanes, more than two dogs can quickly become a liability, especially when you're hunting up a hedgerow and you put you hand up to stop the Postie only to find that all three dogs, for once in their lives, sit to the raised hand - in the middle of the road... Luckily he was a country boy and saw the funny side.
When you are picking up close to the guns or close to the road a nicely trained dog is exactly what you need. Horses for courses. Luckily I usually have one "nicely trained dog" and one hooligan for some unknown reason, works perfectly for me on the shoots I pick up on.

[westcountry]

And thats with just one dog mate. Try managing a team of three or four. Most commercial shoots wont have you picking up with less than three. I have picked up with a man who has a team of ten cockers and all sit and wait their turn to be told to go.

But remember when I gave you your first opportunity to pick up 3 or 4 years ago it wasnt all plain sailing for you . It's about learning how it works for you and your dog/dogs

you are dead right Mike it was not plain sailing and with that certain dog it never is. He is 5 years old now and although he can be the most annoying dog in the world ,he picks birds that others fail on. Its never plain sailing but the lessons I learned from that dog now means I have a good team of steady dogs that earn me a living. Forever grateful for your help and advice and really enjoyed the days you gave us. Hope you and your good lady are keeping well. Be back down your way trialing next season. Maybe catch up.

[Dan Newcombe]

That’s a fair point about roads etc but purely for finding stuff - all other things bring equal, more is better.

I was on a keeper last day last week with 2 spaniels and felt under equipped.

[Miesque]

A lot depends on the ground and game density. And how long the pickers up have time wise to clear an area. Different breeds work scent differently also, yet another thing to take into account.

I pick up with anything from 2 to 5/6 depending on where we are and who's dogs have out!

My favourite picking up moment of last season was standing on a laneway chatting to keeper watching labs being sent out over a big drain on to heather for birds and my geriatric lurcher climbing down into the drain and pulling out a lively cock bird that 7 or 8 labs had gone over....my spaniels had also been at heel and none of them looked to have got wind of it either!

[Judy]

My second Flatcoat was a b' for that, she'd stick her nose into a bush and pull out a bird from beside the game cart, several dogs would have walked straight past that area.